


Unfinished Business

by BandanaBlue



Series: Troubled Times [2]
Category: Alias Smith and Jones
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 19:22:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20013526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BandanaBlue/pseuds/BandanaBlue
Summary: The search is over.  (This story is off-canon)





	Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gemhenry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemhenry/gifts).



It hurt — he couldn't believe how much. 

Slowly drawing his leg over the back of his saddle he carefully lowered himself to the ground. He stood, momentarily resting his forehead against the smooth still-warm leather and fighting the nausea, took a few deep breaths before slowly making his way toward a nearby tree. Here he sat down, dropped his hat to the ground and gently let his head rest back against the trunk. Covering his eyes with gloved palms, he groaned. 

The sound of approaching footsteps followed by a voice at his shoulder permeated the excruciating pounding in his head. "You want one of those powders the doc gave ya?"

Hannibal Heyes didn't want to speak but shaking his head was not an option right now. "Laudanum," he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Jedediah 'Kid' Curry regarded his partner apprehensively. "You've had a lot of that stuff lately. You sure one of those powders and a good sleep won't do the trick?"

"Uh-uh."

"I know your hurtin', Heyes, but the doc said—"

_"Dammit, Jed!"_

Raising his voice made Heyes' head feel like it had exploded, eliciting another groan. 

Not wanting to agitate his cousin further Kid rummaged in their saddlebags and pulled out a velvet pouch which contained a small bottle. He considered the contents.

"There's not much left," he declared as he poured a little water from his canteen into a tin cup to which he carefully added a few drops of the brown liquid. "Here," he gently nudged the ailing man. Heyes grasped the cup and swallowed the mixture in one gulp. He was so used to it that he no longer grimaced at the bitter taste. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, giving Kid's arm an appreciative squeeze. "Hurts."

"I know, Heyes. You stay there. I'll go fetch your bedroll so you can get some rest."

"Thanks, Kid."

After ensuring his partner was comfortable Kid busied himself settling the horses and making a fire. When out on the trail they didn't usually stop until sundown but today Heyes had been hurting bad and rather than have to deal with the consequences of his partner falling off his horse he had decided it would be a good idea to set up an early camp.

Soon there was a pan of beans and a pot of coffee simmering on the fire. Kid sat cradling a mug of the strong, bitter brew and watched his partner sleep. There was no denying it, he was worried about Heyes. 

It was a little over twelve months since Deke Butler had accused Heyes of cheating at poker and Kid had stepped up in his defence, beating Butler to the draw. The next day Butler, together with Wade and Matt Murdstone, had bushwhacked them on a remote trail subjecting Heyes to a savage beating and Kid to a violent sexual assault. The intense headaches his partner now experienced had started soon afterwards and, apart from a short lull after they had caught up with Butler, they had got progressively worse. 

The doctor in Green Ridge had made up some powders to alleviate the pain and had strongly advised against the long term use of laudanum, but Heyes was adamant that nothing else worked. Although Kid had no first-hand experience of anyone with an addiction he was becoming increasingly concerned at the amount of the opiate Heyes was taking. It might be his imagination but it seemed to him that as the frequency and size of the doses increased, his partner's usually nimble brain was slowing; not a good sign when jobs were in short supply and the only way to boost their often depleted funds was Heyes' skill at the poker table. 

Kid, on the other hand, had not been left with any physical discomfort. For him guilt was now a constant companion. From the very second the men had stepped, guns drawn, onto the trail in front of them he had inwardly berated himself for not being more vigilant, not to mention that his lightning quick hand had failed to get anywhere near his revolver in order to defend them. He should have dealt with the consequences better, been stronger, for both of them. He was after all a hard-case outlaw — joint-leader of one of the most feared outlaw gangs in the whole of the Wyoming Territory. Their assailants would no doubt have reconsidered the wisdom of an ambush had they been aware of their victims' real identities, but Heyes had abandoned his habit of announcing that his partner was the notorious gunman, Kid Curry, ever since they started trying for amnesty.

Kid had never revealed any details of the assault to his cousin and Heyes knew well enough not to press him on the subject. It had taken a while but he had eventually succeeded in pushing the whole episode away into a rarely-accessed recess of his mind; a place where also dwelt some horrific memories from his childhood together with the faces of the men whose lives he had taken. Unfortunately, Heyes' headaches had become an unwelcome reminder of what had happened that day.

A loud rumble from his stomach brought Kid out of his reverie and he bent over the fire to stir the contents of the small cooking pot with a wooden spoon. Just as he was wondering whether Heyes would want anything to eat or if he should let him sleep, a stirring from beneath the blankets drew his attention and he was quickly at his partner's side. Unfocussed, heavy-lidded eyes angled up at the rapidly darkening sky.

"How long... have I been out?" Heyes asked, thickly.

"A couple of hours."

"Oh, I thought it was tomorrow already."

"How are you feelin'?" Kid was keen to know whether the reduced dose of laudanum he had given his partner had been effective.

Heyes slowly turned onto his back. "Better."

"You want some coffee? I got beans ready too."

"A little coffee, thanks." Heyes didn't want to risk food yet; the nausea had faded, but not enough to guarantee against an unwelcome reappearance of anything solid.

"You should have somethin' soon, Heyes. You haven't eaten since yesterday's supper." Kid grinned down at his partner. "Now _that_ would sure give _me_ a headache!"

A faint smile hovered on the dark-haired man's lips. "Let's just see if I can keep the coffee down first."

Kid Curry placed a steadying hand in Heyes' armpit to help him sit up thereby increasing his concern — Heyes felt bony, even through his coat. The man had always been lean but this past year he had become considerably thinner.

Once he was sure that his partner could sit unaided Kid picked up a tin cup and poured a little coffee into it. Handing it to him he asked hopefully, "It won't make ya feel sick if _I_ eat somethin', will it?"

Heyes took a tentative sip of the steaming brew before replying, "No, go ahead." 

Thankful at last to have the chance of putting some food in his empty belly Kid Curry slopped a substantial quantity of the beans onto a tin plate and set about devouring them. In no time at all he tossed the plate onto the ground with an unsatisfied sigh. "Guess that'll have to do for supper. How far do you reckon to the next town, Heyes?"

A derisive snort. "I don't even know where we are. How long were we in the saddle today?"

"About five hours, but we was only goin' slow."

Swallowing another mouthful of coffee, Heyes replied, "Eight hours, maybe more."

"Sheesh! That sure is a long time to wait for a decent meal. I've used the last of our supplies 'cept for a little jerky. If you're gonna try and eat you'd better do it before these beans boil dry."

"Okay. I'll try — just to keep ya happy."

Smiling, Kid Curry dished up a small amount onto the plate, added a fork, and placed it in his cousin's lap. Heyes considered the plate. Well, the look of the beans didn't make him feel sick. He scooped up a forkful and sniffed the steaming legumes. The smell had no adverse effect either so he risked a mouthful, chewed slowly and swallowed.

Kid watched apprehensively as Heyes ate some more. "How's that feelin'?"

"Okay at the moment, but I won't push my luck. You'd best finish off what's left in the pot, Kid."

"You sure?" Kid frowned; his partner had eaten so little.

"Think I'll go back to sleep." Heyes handed Kid the plate and slid under his blanket leaving his ever-hungry cousin to finish the soon-to-be-scorched beans.

*****

The next day Kid Curry was awake before daybreak. As the first of the sun's rays appeared from behind the horizon he had already packed up his bedroll, filled their canteens at a nearby creek, and saddled their horses. Now it was time to wake his partner. Thankfully, Heyes appeared to have slept off most the soporific effects of the laudanum and, having drunk thirstily from his canteen, was happy to continue the journey at a livelier pace. Despite this, their lengthening shadows still preceded them as they rode side by side into the town of Malice. 

Having read the name inscribed above the door of the sheriff's office the two former outlaws exchanged a relieved glance. They didn't know him. This meant there was a good chance they could stay here for a while until either someone started to show an interest in them or their money ran out, whichever came first.

Looping his horse's reins around the rail outside the livery stable Heyes flexed his back and rolled his shoulders. "Y' know, right now I would sell my soul for a hot bath." 

"Well, I spotted a Chinese laundry a block or two back. They had a sign sayin' 'baths twenty-five cents'," said Kid. "Why don't you head over there while I put the horses up and get us a room at the hotel?"

"Thanks. I'll do that." 

"But you might find they prefer hard cash, not souls," remarked Kid as he loosened his cinch.

Heyes poked two fingers into his vest pocket. "I don't have anything smaller than a ten dollar gold piece."

"Here!" Kid flipped a quarter in his cousin's direction. "I'll come and get me one too when I'm done here."

Grinning, Heyes snatched the tumbling coin out of the air, slung his saddlebags over his shoulder, and headed down the street.

*****

The two former outlaws lingered in the warm water of the bath house for longer than they had intended and only just got back to the hotel before the restaurant stopped serving supper. 

It was normal for Heyes to have little appetite for a day or so after taking laudanum and although Curry ordered the largest steak on the menu for himself he still ate most of Heyes' abandoned meal too. 

Feeling both refreshed and replete they crossed the street and pushed through the batwing doors of the Bad Blood Saloon. Bellying up to the bar Kid ordered the drinks while Heyes leaned his back against the polished wood and cast his eyes around the dimly lit room in search of a lucrative poker game. Faro appeared to be popular here, the gaming table attracting a large number of people, but Heyes' attention moved swiftly on until he located what he was looking for over in the far corner. He was about to point the table out to the Kid when two disreputable-looking individuals emerged from the Faro crowd and sat down in the vacant seats. 

Heyes froze. 

Sensing something was amiss Kid placed a reassuring hand on his cousin's shoulder. "You okay?"

Without answering Heyes turned back to the bar, grabbed the glass of whiskey in front of him, and drank it down in one large mouthful. "Bartender! Another," he rasped, downing the refill as soon as it had been poured.

Curry was instantly on his guard. "What's the matter? You seen somebody we know?"

Heyes stared unblinking at the empty glass. His throat felt so tight he thought he might choke but he made an effort and swallowed hard. Then he nodded.

"A lawman?"

Shaking his head Heyes fought to stay in control.

"Who then?" Kid noted that his partner's hands were balled into fists.

A pair of dark brown eyes slid toward the Kid as Heyes finally found his voice. "It's them," he croaked. "The two we've been looking for."

Reflexively Kid's right hand found the handle of his gun. "Here, in the saloon?"

"Uh-huh. In the corner. I saw them join the poker game." 

Curry leaned casually away from the bar to stare across the smoky room. Ever since the bounty on their heads had risen to ten thousand dollars apiece, and especially since they had started trying for amnesty, he had made it his job to search out and recognize even the smallest sign of a threat. He couldn't believe he hadn't spotted those two sons of bitches.

"Well?" prompted Heyes. "Am I right?"

Leaning both elbows on the bar Kid tilted his hat down over his eyes; his jaw was set tight. "It's them alright," he ground out.

Recognising the edge to the Kid's voice Heyes began to worry that the wrathy nature his shootist partner managed to keep under tight control most of the time might, under the circumstances, get the better of his good judgement. "Easy, Kid. Not here," he murmured.

"I know that." 

"We have to wait. Pick the right time."

"Well, it had better be soon, Heyes. Real soon."

Not wishing to remain in a room with only a few tables and chairs separating them from their attackers they swiftly returned to the hotel where, for the next hour or so, Heyes restlessly paced the floor and, for the second time that day, Curry thoroughly cleaned and oiled their guns.

*****

Midnight came and went but with vengeance being foremost in their minds sleep eluded them both. 

Kid Curry would never dispute the fact that he was a man with a violent past. Heyes for the most part was fairly peaceable, only resorting to physical violence when unduly provoked, choosing either to keep his anger in check or exact his revenge in a more subtle way. Throughout their partnership Heyes had always maintained that he abhorred the taking of human life but that had changed the day they had caught up with Deke Butler. Then Kid had seen a side to his partner which made his blood run cold. Never had he imagined witnessing Heyes aim his gun at another man's head and delight in pulling the trigger.

"Heyes? You awake?"

Heyes sighed deeply. "Well, with all the tossing and turning you've been doing, I ain't likely to be _asleep!_ "

Ignoring the caustic retort Kid raised himself up on one elbow, a silver shaft of moonlight giving just enough light for him to see his partner's face. "I've been turnin' something over in my mind. Y' see, I remember what you said you'd do to those two if we found them, but that was a while back. If you've changed your mind..."

Heyes knew exactly what his partner was trying to say and his answer was both swift and uncompromising. "They get the same as Butler." 

"Wasn't killing Butler enough for you?"

"Enough? No! Killing Butler wasn't nearly enough, but it was all I had — 'til now."

"You sure about that?"

"Real sure. But like I said, we gotta pick the right moment. I know what you wanted to do tonight. I also know, if I hadn't been there, you'd have gone right ahead and done it."

"Yeah? Done what?" Blue eyes opened wide in mock innocence.

"Don't get cute with me, Kid. You know what I'm talking about. You'd have walked across that saloon and blasted them to kingdom come right there in front of everyone, and gotten yourself an invitation to a necktie party for your trouble."

Curry rolled onto his back and raised both hands in submission. "Okay. Just checkin' is all. I don't wanna drag you into somethin' you ain't lookin' for." 

"Kid, those bastards tried their darndest to beat me to death, and believe me, this past year there have been times when I wished they'd succeeded. You ain't _dragging me in_ ; I want this every bit as much as you." 

" _Almost_ as much as me," Kid corrected. "They might have tied me facing that tree, Heyes, but I know it was one of those two who wanted to..."

Heyes' quirked an eyebrow at the inference. "You never told me that. The way you dealt with Butler, I kinda figured it was him."

"Oh, he took his turn, but it wasn't his idea."

The intense hatred Heyes had harboured since that fateful day which frequently enveloped him as night fell and prevented him from sleeping was rapidly surfacing again. "Then it's settled," he stated, adding bitterly, "They're gonna pay."

*****

The following morning, on the pretext of checking their horses Kid paid a visit to the livery stable and spent the best part of an hour with a very friendly and informative stable boy. For the price of a silver dollar he now knew that the Murdstone brothers didn't live in Malice, that they had only been in town for a couple of days, and which horses they rode. While pretending to admire said beasts he had taken a cursory look at their hooves, noting that one had a deep cleft in its off-hind shoe. He smiled to himself. This would make them easy to track. Then, having produced a bag of peppermint candy from his pocket, Kid obtained the boy's solemn promise to inform him if the horse was re-shod and, more importantly, to come and find him immediately if the brothers left town.

In the meantime Heyes replenished their supplies of food and coffee, but one essential item was proving surprisingly elusive. Laudanum. After trying several stores including the barber's shop he asked for directions to the doctor's office in the hope of purchasing some there. Much to his disappointment, the door was locked and there was no answer to his persistent knocking. If he didn't get the chance to try again and they had to move out fast, he hoped the few drops that remained in his bottle would suffice. That thought made him nervous; if another headache struck he wasn't sure if he could cope without it. 

Heyes trudged back to the hotel and by the time he reached their room a dull pain was starting behind his eyes. A little later, Kid stepped through the doorway to see him reclining on the bed with the curtains closed and a cool, damp cloth across his forehead.

"Aaww no, not again!"

"It's just started."

"What have you taken?" 

"I took what was left in the bottle but that wasn't much. Couldn't get any more. None of the stores had any and the doctor's office was shut," he said despondently.

"Well, we can't have you laid up. Not now we're so close. I'll go try again." 

"Thanks, Kid."

A frowning Kid Curry quietly let himself out of the room. Now he was really worried. It wasn't like Heyes to get two headaches in as many days and although he wasn't happy with the idea of his partner taking more laudanum he knew they would not be able to follow those brothers, let alone do what they needed to, if Heyes was hurting.

*****

Early the next morning several loud knocks roused both men from another fitful slumber. As a precaution the Kid plucked his gun from the holster hanging next to his head, concealing it behind his back before answering the door. Thankfully, the person standing on the other side wasn't the sheriff but the stable boy with the news they had been waiting for. Wade and Matt Murdstone were saddling up. They would be riding out of town in ten minutes. With another silver dollar in his pocket along with instructions to get their horses ready the boy raced off. 

Both men dressed as fast as they could and while Kid packed their saddle bags and checked their guns, Heyes sluiced his face several times with cold water, peering bleary-eyed at his increasingly gaunt image in the looking glass. Maybe that second dose of laudanum from the bottle Kid had eventually managed to purchase had not been such a good idea. 

Minutes later, Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes, the latter's long bangs still dripping water, checked out of the hotel.

The majority of the townsfolk were still abed making the main street virtually deserted as they rode out of the livery stable. Kid stared intently at the ground. There it was, clear as day — a horseshoe print with a deep cleft in it. Their quarry was headed north and they would not be far behind them.

The sun was high in the sky by the time the tracks led off the narrow trail and out into open country. This was a very welcome development; the last thing they wanted was to catch up with those fellas on the road. No, it had to be somewhere out of the way where voices and gunshots would not be heard, nor bodies found.

The riders continued to follow the trail through endless sand and scrub to an area littered with outcrops of boulders until the sound of voices drifted their way on the tail of a warm breeze. Voices which made each man's heart beat a fraction faster. 

Kid Curry pulled his horse to a halt and asked quietly, "You didn't look awful good this mornin', Heyes. Sure you're up to doin' this?"

"I'm fine," Heyes answered in a coarse whisper. "We lose them now, we may never get another chance."

Tossing his reins to Heyes Kid jumped down from his horse. "Sounds like they're a few hundred yards in that direction," he pointed to a group of rocks to his left. "I'll circle round and come at them from the other side. Hopefully they're busy making camp." 

Drawing his revolver the gunman disappeared between the boulders. He knew his partner would spot him about five minutes before starting his approach.

"Howdy!" 

Heyes' voice rang out loud and clear as, shouldering his rifle, he stepped out from behind a large rock. "Easy now," he cautioned the two startled men, "We don't want to start this party too early now, do we?"

Before either of the Murdstone brothers could reach for their guns a cocked Colt .45 was pushed none too gently into Matt's back and his pistol plucked from its holster. "Don't move. Don't. Even. Breathe." Kid Curry's soft blue eyes were as hard as flint as he moved around in order to press the cold steel against the dark, stubble-covered cheek. 

A whiff of foul breath drifted into Kid's nostrils, unexpectedly flooding his mind with a memory; a memory so vivid and shocking that he almost recoiled. In his mind he felt that breath on his face, heard that voice harsh and taunting close to his ear, and found himself re-living the pain and humiliation inflicted during the brutal and prolonged assault. 

Although Heyes had been left broken and bloody, Kid had always been thankful that his partner had been unconscious by the time he had become the focus of the three men's attention. He didn't think he could have looked Heyes in the eye again if he thought he had heard the sickening things they had said, the sounds they had made and, worse still, his pleas for them to stop. It was bad enough that his cousin had witnessed the aftermath; the drying trace of blood down his legs, the livid bruises on his back and buttocks, and the tears of both relief and shame that he had shed on Heyes' shoulder after he had cut him loose.

Now that his partner was in position Heyes drew his Schofield and leaned the rifle against a nearby rock. "You have no idea how good it is to meet up with you fellas again," he said with mock geniality as he ambled over to join the group. Pointing at Wade he instructed, not so cordially, "You. Take off that gun belt and throw it over those rocks. Nice and easy." 

"What's this all about?" demanded Wade, as he complied. Pale grey pig-like eyes squinted. Now that the fellow in the black hat had moved closer he was starting to look a little familiar. "Hey, ain't I seen you someplace before?" 

The wearer of the black hat frowned. "Well now, let me see.... The last time you saw my face it was covered in blood, _my_ blood as I recall, and as for my partner... well, I don't think you'd recognize him too easily coz you sure didn't spend a lot of time looking at his _face!_ " 

In a single, slick movement Heyes switched his gun to his left hand so that his right fist could slam into Wade's jaw, sending him sprawling on his back in the dirt. 

" _Shit!_ " he complained, rubbing his knuckles. "That jaw had better be busted!" 

Now, Heyes had no idea how this worked. All he knew was that, if he allowed it, a sudden single act of violence such as that was all it took to summon the demon that dwelt deep within him. 

Kid Curry glanced at his partner in time to see Heyes' brown eyes become almost black. He had seen that look before and it meant one thing, for certain. Heyes would kill one of these men today; maybe even both of them.

The former outlaw leader stood menacingly over Wade and gestured with his gun. "Get up!" When Wade didn't move Heyes offered encouragement by way of a sharp kick to his ribs. " _I said, 'get up'!_ " 

With a groan Wade rolled onto all fours, painfully spat out a mouthful of blood followed by a tooth, then lurched unsteadily to his feet. At the sight of Heyes' Schofield he raised one hand in the air while the other nursed his rapidly swelling face. 

"Look what ya gone and done to my brother!" yelled Matt, angrily. 

A sardonic smile crept across Heyes' face as Kid growled, "A busted jaw? That's gonna be the least of your problems."

Matt Murdstone had always displayed an unhealthy disregard for his own safety and this recklessness had got both he and his younger brother into untold trouble most of their lives. The fact that he was facing two men, one of whom he already knew to have the fastest draw he had ever seen and another who was radiating danger from every pore, didn't seem to worry him at all. He stared arrogantly from one to the other. "Well, lookee here, if it ain't the poker cheat and his pretty-boy partner. Surprised ya both ain't dead." 

Heyes' murderous stare intensified at being labelled a cheat again but he managed to say levelly, "We're kinda surprised too." 

"Y' know, I figured we'd just go ahead and put a bullet in the two o' yous right from the start," continued Matt. "But Deke... well, he wanted ya to die nice 'n slow like. That's the kinda fella he is."

"Was," corrected Kid. "Deke's dead."

Unmoved, Matt shrugged his shoulders. "So, what ya gonna do now?" A line of uneven, tobacco-stained teeth grinned at Curry. "You just gonna point that shiny lead pusher o' yours, boy, or you plannin' on usin' it?" 

Wade looked incredulously at his brother, spat another mouthful of blood and mumbled, "Matt shut up." 

"That brother of yours may look stupid but he's right. You should stop talking and start making peace with your Maker," advised Heyes.

A sharp laugh escaped Matt's lips. "My Maker! Won't make no difference me talkin' to Him. I'm headed for hellfire and damnation! At least it sounds like the kinda place I can enjoy m'self." He cast a lewd eye at Kid. "Just like I did with you, boy. That's a real fine ass you got there."

Having witnessed numerous occasions when some unsuspecting fool had called his partner out, Heyes knew that the gunman's face would never betray his emotions; even now there was no outward sign of his mounting anger. Heyes, however, could feel it. It made the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, the very same way they did before the first flash of lightning heralded a storm over the prairie. As always Kid remained perfectly still, his gaze unblinking until, almost imperceptibly, his index finger began to tighten on the trigger of his Colt.

"I knowed ya liked it," Matt stated, foolishly. "Moanin' like a two-bit whore ya was and—"

The sound of rapid gunfire took even Heyes by surprise and Matt Murdstone slumped to the ground, a sneer on his lips and his chest a mess of crimson, bullet-riddled flesh. Detached and methodical, Kid Curry ejected all six empty cartridges and was one bullet away from a full reload by the time the smoke had cleared. 

Wade turned to run. "Don't do it," warned Heyes, but after only a slight hesitation the terrified man made his choice. He had managed less than half a dozen steps before two shots from the Schofield found their mark and he fell with a scream, a bullet having lodged deep in each thigh. 

With an irritated huff Heyes stomped toward him. Ignoring the string of obscenities being yelled at him he seized the man's collar, dragged him back alongside his brother and roughly propped him up against a rock. Months of contemplating his revenge in minute detail had resulted in him picturing many scenarios, each one more violent and a great deal more bloody than the one before. This, however, was not one of them. Inwardly he shrugged; at least now they had a chance to draw a line under this dark time in their lives and try to move on. 

His own inner demon had been allowed its freedom on two separate occasions now and one thing was for certain, he was not planning on letting it happen again — ever. It made him feel out of control and that was not the way Hannibal Heyes operated.

Perching on the edge of a nearby boulder he watched as the wounded man frantically grasped at each leg in turn, his attempts at stemming the flow of blood proving futile. 

"You just gonna sit there, mister?" Wade gasped.

"Yep."

"Watch me bleed out, huh?"

"That's the plan. I figure it won't take long," stated Heyes, matter-of-factly, before adding, "Unfortunately."

One final check and Kid Curry dropped the Colt back into his tied-down holster. He glanced questioningly at his partner. "You're not gonna finish him?" 

Despite having been a gunman most of his life Kid still maintained his own set of principles, one of which was that if he intended to kill someone he would at least ensure it was quick. The only time he had deliberately stood by while his victim lay bleeding was the day he had put a bullet in Deke Butler's groin. 

"What's the matter, Kid?" Heyes stabbed an accusing finger at Wade. " _He's_ one of the bastards who raped you and left you tied to a tree. You don't think he should suffer? Is that it?" Suddenly, his anger flared again. "Well, I do! They left _me_ tied up too, remember. What if one of those kicks I took had busted one of my arms and I couldn't get free, huh? What then? A cougar or even a bear couldha come along and ripped us both apart! Eaten us alive! Or we couldha starved to death, real slow. All I'm doing here is giving back a little of was done to us." Chest heaving with emotion, Heyes' eyes returned to Wade. "It has to end like this."

Having nodded his understanding Kid took his time returning to where they had left the horses. He had done what he needed to do; Wade Murdstone's death was Heyes' affair. He would leave him to see it through in his own way and if that meant watching as blood slowly soaked into the sand, then so be it. 

By the time he led their mounts into the clearing the rise and fall of the dying man's chest appeared to have had ceased. 

With a sigh Heyes pushed himself away from the boulder. Reaching down he placed two fingers on the side of Wade's neck and waited a few seconds. "It's finished." 

"We gonna leave the bodies here? Right out in the open?"

"Well _I_ sure ain't digging any graves." Heyes was adamant.

"What if they're found? Some of the folks back in Malice might recall us askin' about them. You thought of that?"

"We're a good distance from the trail here, Kid. They won't be found. The buzzards and coyotes will start on them soon enough," Heyes assured his partner while rummaging through the Murdstones' saddlebags. Having pocketed a full box of bullets and a few paper dollars, but finding nothing of real value, he dumped them in a heap on the ground. "No sense in turning these horses loose. They're nice looking beasts," he opined, taking hold of two sets of split reins. "Should fetch a reasonable price. At least we'll recoup a little of the money they stole."

Kid pulled Matt's pistol from where he had tucked it in the back of his belt and disdainfully tossed the rusting piece toward the dead man's feet. "I hope you're right, Heyes," he said through a sigh. "About nobody findin' them, I mean. Killing the likes of them sure ain't worth hangin' for." 

"We won't hang," Heyes stated confidently as he swung himself up into his saddle. "Of course, there's still a good chance we'll be thrown into prison for twenty years, but we won't hang."

Then, without so much as a backward glance, they turned their horses and rode away.


End file.
